I’m Timothy Adu - senior embedded lead for startups and product teams building connected devices. I take on the firmware, hardware integration, and technical direction so you can ship a reliable product without hiring a full embedded team to get there.
Most teams hit a wall when the prototype leaves the bench. It’s rarely the core logic — it’s the real-world stuff that sneaks up later: connectivity drops with no clean recovery, brownouts and unpredictable low-power behavior, reset paths that work in theory but not in the field, and hardware-software integration done in two places that don’t quite agree. Any one of these can push a pilot back by months. Together, they’re the difference between a product that demos well and a product that ships well. This is what I work on.
Technical review or audit: A focused engagement where I assess your current state — architecture, codebase, hardware-software integration, development process — and give you a clear roadmap of the highest-risk gaps and what to do about them. Useful when you have a team in place but want a senior set of eyes before a big decision or milestone.
Embedded project lead: I take ownership of the embedded side of your project end-to-end — architecture, firmware, hardware integration, debugging, and production readiness — working alongside your hardware, product, and software teams. Useful when you don’t have senior embedded in-house and don’t want to hire it yet.
Fractional embedded CTO / ongoing technical advisor: Part-time, retainer-style engagement where I’m the embedded technical lead across your roadmap — making the architecture calls, reviewing decisions, and keeping the technical direction coherent across multiple workstreams. Useful for teams that want continuity without full-time headcount.
Across all three, the work typically spans embedded software architecture, firmware development in C and C++, hardware-software bring-up, RTOS-based development, debugging legacy or unstable systems, refactoring, technical audits, and certification prep.
Reduced technical risk through sound architecture and early identification of the issues that turn into rework
Faster development cycles because firmware, hardware, and integration decisions are made in one place instead of three
More maintainable firmware that your team can actually own after I’m gone
Greater confidence in production readiness — for manufacturing, certification, and the long tail of supporting the product after launch
The focus is always on helping you make better technical decisions earlier, so your product development is predictable rather than reactive.
Clean-tech battery startup. Prototype to deployment in 16 weeks. The founder had a clear product vision but no senior embedded leadership. I took ownership end-to-end across electronics, firmware, data architecture, cloud integration, mechanical prototyping, assembly, and testing, getting the product to deployment in 16 weeks.
Smart wearable prototype. BLE connectivity and mobile app integration.
A solo founder building a smart wearable with a small team of specialist consultants. I joined to own the BLE connectivity and mobile app integration, working alongside the hardware and design contractors to make sure the firmware, device, and app actually agree at the seams. Ongoing engagement since April 2025.
Helix Embedded consulting is a good fit if you are:
If you need reliable embedded expertise without hiring a full-time senior engineer or CTO, this model provides flexibility without compromising quality.
Engagements are structured to be clear, focused, and effective from the start.
We begin with a conversation to understand your product, constraints, risks, and goals.
I review your current system, architecture, codebase, and development process as needed.
You receive practical recommendations and a proposed engagement structure aligned with your priorities.
I work hands-on with your team or independently to deliver agreed outcomes.
Where appropriate, I ensure your team understands the decisions made and can maintain momentum after the engagement.
A few things I do that most embedded contractors don’t:
I work end-to-end. I don’t just write firmware and hand it off. I make the architecture decisions, integrate with the hardware, debug the field issues, and stay involved through production. The same person who chose the approach is the one who owns the consequences of it.
I work with your team, not around it. If you have a junior or mid-level engineer doing good work, I make them better — I don’t displace them. The most useful engagements are often the ones where there’s an existing team that just needs senior decision-making support.
I focus on connected hardware specifically. The patterns I see most often — connectivity recovery, power-state behavior, OTA architecture, hardware-software integration on connected devices — are the patterns I work on every day.
I don’t sell frameworks or generic consulting packages. I work directly with clients to solve real embedded software problems and help products move forward with confidence.
Selected project examples are available upon request or during an introductory call.
How long is a typical engagement? Anywhere from a few weeks for a focused technical review, up to 12+ months for a full concept-to-production build. Most ongoing engagements run 3-6 months.
Do you work fixed-fee or hourly? Both, depending on the engagement. Fixed-fee for well-scoped reviews and projects; hourly or retainer for ongoing technical advisory work. Pricing is discussed during the discovery call once we understand the scope.
Do you work remotely? Yes, almost always. I’m based in Denmark and work with teams across North America and Europe. For the right project I’ll travel for key milestones — kickoff, pilot, production transition.
What about IP and confidentiality? NDAs in place at the start of any conversation that needs them. All work product belongs to you — I don’t retain rights to anything I write for a client.
We have a small embedded team already. Can you still help? Often yes — the most useful engagements are sometimes the ones where you have a junior or mid-level engineer doing good work, but no one senior to make the harder architecture and integration calls. I can fill that gap without displacing your existing team.
What’s the first step? A free 45-minute discovery call. We’ll talk through what you’re building, where you are, and whether I’m the right fit. No pressure either way.
The first conversation is a free 45-minute discovery call to see whether I’m the right fit — no pressure either way.